Before the 20th century, the term technology was uncommon to the English Language, and was usually referred to as the description or the study of useful arts according to George Crabb (1823). The use of the term technology has changed significantly over the last 200 years today technology is refer to as the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area and a capability given by the practical application of knowledge according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Perhaps the single biggest beneficiary of advancing technology has been the healthcare sector. Medical research has led to the end of many diseases and ailments, and also to the discovery of many drugs and medications that have helped prevent many lethal diseases and disorders. Personal records are easier to study now, and medical research has advanced magnificently. Millions of lives have been saved as a result of this.
It is no surprise that the benefits of technology in the classroom and the benefits of technology in schools have opened up a whole new learning environment. Knowledge can be easily procured with the help of Internet technology now, and it is easier to help children with special needs as well.
The communication industry has witnessed a huge growth. Social networking and blogging has opened up a whole new world to people from remote locations, and the reach of the mass media has increased thousand fold. People can communicate with each other on the move, and there are no limitations anymore to the benefits of information technology. Mankind's violent nature technology has lead to the invention of numerous weapons that have lead to the deaths of nearly a billion people over our history (A-bomb, automatic rifle, sword and shield). Over dependence we have become over dependent on our machinery and cannot seem to function without it (computers, television, automobiles). As machinery picks up the slack humans tend to become lazy. Death of written arts, as television and the internet and gaming increase in popularity, pieces of written work fall into the background of culture. Most people in the younger age group were unaware of the lord of the rings until it was filmed.